He can guess the source of the wince; she might stay covered up, but he knows about the grafts and he knows about the scars. This time, wen he leans in, he does kiss her, gently, at the corner of her mouth. Gale's been stubborn his whole life and, sometimes, he feels like he has to be stubborn with Katniss or they'll never get anywhere.

"Come home with me," he says. "The doctors gave me something for my back. Let me at least do that?"